1. Field of the Invention.
The present invention relates generally to optical equipment, and more specifically to optical equipment for use in attaching a camera to a telescope for use in astrophotography which includes an alternative sighting path to provide for viewing of an object and fine focusing without disturbance to the camera once the system is properly focused for images (parfocalized).
2. Description of the Prior Art.
Previous inventors of optical equipment have directed their efforts toward such devices as a microscope adapter to which a camera mounts which have included a mirror providing adjustment through an auxiliary viewing apparatus, supplementary optical systems for cameras which allow the use of multiple lenses without removal of the normal or regular lens of the camera, and telescopic gun sights having a provision whereby a camera utilizing an alternative viewing path to the path utilized by the individual sighting a gun can be mounted on the telescopic gun sight and adjusted to take photographs of the subject matter within the gun sight. While the prior art of which applicant is aware has been directed toward optical devices some of which provide alternative viewing paths through the use of mirrors or split-image reflective arrangements, none of the art of which applicant is aware has taught the unique combination as taught by the present invention.